Guard for nail painting

ABSTRACT

A guard for use with a finger of a user while painting a fingernail. The guard includes a main body formed of a flexible material to allow the main body to be at least partially wrapped around the finger. The main body includes a first surface and an opposing second surface, wherein the first surface includes an adhesive for adhering the main body to the finger. The main body further includes an inner periphery sized and configured to conform to the anatomy of the fingernail and extend at least partially around the fingernail. The inner periphery is of a generally concave configuration to define a main body opening adapted to be placed over the fingernail.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Application Ser. No. 61/954,478, filed Mar. 17, 2014, the contents of which are expressly incorporated herein by reference.

STATEMENT RE: FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH/DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to a cosmetic skin guard, and more specifically to a guard adapted to fit around a fingernail to prevent nail polish from contacting the skin surrounding the fingernail during application of the nail polish to the fingernail.

2. Description of the Related Art

It is common practice for individuals to enhance and beautify their fingernails through the application of color or other finishes on the outer surface of the fingernail. This application may be done through the use of various nail enamels or nail polishes. A common current method of applying such polishes is done by applying the nail polish to the surface of the fingernail with an applicator brush.

It is desirable to apply the polish in a manner which results in a clean appearance. Along these lines, since the polish typically spreads along the fingernail, extreme care must be exercised in applying the polish. It may take 30 minutes or more for the polish to dry after it is applied to the fingernail. During this time, it is advisable for the user to minimize movements and remain still to mitigate inadvertent spreading of the polish into the surrounding skin or cuticle. Application of the polish onto the fingernail may be further complicated when applying the polish with a non-dominant hand. For instance, it may be difficult for a right-handed individual to apply nail polish to a fingernail on the right hand using the non-dominant left hand, and conversely, it may be difficult for a left-handed individual to apply nail polish to a fingernail on the left hand using the non-dominant right hand. Furthermore, application of polish may be difficult for those lacking dexterity or coordination. For example, young children or teenagers who are inexperienced in applying polish may struggle in keeping polish away from the skin surrounding the fingernail. Likewise, elderly individuals suffering from arthritis or other joint-related conditions may also suffer from precisely applying the polish.

In the event polish is inadvertently applied to the skin or spread onto the skin while the polish is drying, and the polish is not cleaned from the skin, the resultant appearance may be sloppy or careless.

Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a device which simplifies the process of applying nail polish by protecting the skin surrounding the fingernail during application of the nail polish thereto. Various aspects of the present invention address this particular need, as will be discussed in more detail below.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a device which protects the skin and/or cuticle surrounding a fingernail while applying nail polish to the fingernail. The device is specifically configured and adapted to extend around at least a portion of the fingernail to effectively form a border for protecting the skin from contacting the nail polish. The device may remain on the finger while the nail polish dries, upon which time, the device may be removed from the finger.

According to one embodiment, there is provided a guard for use with a finger of a user while painting a fingernail. The guard includes a main body formed of a flexible material to allow the main body to be at least partially wrapped around the finger. The main body includes a first surface and an opposing second surface, wherein the first surface includes an adhesive for adhering the main body to the finger. The main body further includes an inner periphery sized and configured to conform to the anatomy of the fingernail and extend at least partially around the fingernail. The inner periphery is of a generally concave configuration to define a main body opening adapted to be placed over the fingernail.

The main body may further include an outer periphery spaced from inner periphery along at least a portion of the main body. The outer periphery and inner periphery may intersect to define a pair of terminal ends. The outer periphery may define a plurality of rounded segments.

The main body may include perforations formed therein to segregate the main body into at least two regions separable from each other. The perforations may extend from the inner periphery toward an outer periphery. The perforations may also extend generally parallel to the inner periphery.

The guard may further comprise a template adapted to extend over the opening. The template includes a first surface, an opposing second surface, and an opening extending through the template between the first and second surfaces. The template may be coupled to the main body and transitional relative thereto between a covered configuration, wherein the template extends over the main body opening, and an uncovered configuration, wherein the main body opening is uncovered by the template. The template may include an adhesive to allow the template to be adhered to one of the main body and the finger when the template is in the uncovered configuration.

The main body may be formed of a single piece of material. The main body may be formed of polyethylene.

According to another embodiment, there is provided a single-use guard capable of being applied to a finger around a fingernail to protect skin around the fingernail from nail polish. The guard includes a body having a pair of opposed arms positioned in spaced relation to each other and joined by a connecting segment. The arms and connecting segment collectively define a body opening having a closed end portion at the connecting segment and an open end portion opposite the connecting segment. The body opening is sized and configured to conform to the fingernail of the user. The body further includes an adhesive surface adapted to be selectively adhered to the finger during application of nail polish to the fingernail.

The present invention will be best understood by reference to the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features and advantages of the various embodiments disclosed herein will be better understood with respect to the following description and drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top view of a nail painting guard applied to a finger of a user around a lower portion of a fingernail;

FIG. 2 a is a top view of a nail painting guard constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 b is a top view of a nail painting guard larger than the guard depicted in FIG. 1 a, and also including perforations;

FIG. 3 is a top view of a nail painting guard applied to a finger of a user around an upper portion of a fingernail;

FIG. 4 is a top view of a nail painting guard including a template overlay for applying a design to a fingernail;

FIG. 5 is a top view of a fingernail having a design applied thereto through the use of the template overlay shown in FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a top view of a nail painting guard including a template coupled to a main body, the template shown in an open position.

Common reference numerals are used throughout the drawings and the detailed description to indicate the same elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The detailed description set forth below in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of certain embodiments of a protective guard placeable around a fingernail and is not intended to represent the only forms that may be developed or utilized. The description sets forth the various structure and/or functions in connection with the illustrated embodiments, but it is to be understood, however, that the same or equivalent structure and/or functions may be accomplished by different embodiments that are also intended to be encompassed within the scope of the present disclosure. It is further understood that the use of relational terms such as first and second, and the like are used solely to distinguish one entity from another without necessarily requiring or implying any actual such relationship or order between such entities.

Various aspects of the present invention are directed toward providing a guard 10 which may be selectively adhered to a user's finger 12 immediately adjacent the fingernail 14 to provide a barrier around the fingernail 14 for preventing nail polish from contacting the user's skin or cuticle during application and drying of the nail polish on the fingernail 14. The guard 10 may include an adhesive surface to facilitate adhering of the guard 10 to the finger 12. Once the nail polish has dried, the guard 10 may be removed from the skin. The finished look of the applied nail polish on the fingernail 14 is clean and crisp, with the nail polish contained to the nail, preferably extending across substantially the entirety of the fingernail 14, without being applied to the user's skin. The guard 10 may simplify application of the nail polish for those lacking dexterity, such as young children or teenagers, the elderly, or those suffering from arthritis.

As used herein, the term “nail polish” broadly refers to conventional nail polish, as well as enamels, lacquers, paints, creams, gels, or other topical applications which may be applied to the surface of a fingernail 14. Along these lines, although a preferred embodiment of the guard 10 may be for applying cosmetic nail polishes, it is also understood that the guard 10 also be used for applying medical applications to the fingernail 14.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein the showings are for purposes of illustrating a preferred embodiment of the present invention only, and are not for purposes of limiting the same, FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the guard 10 adhered to the fingernail 14 of the user. It is understood that the guard 10 may be formed in several different shapes and sizes, as exemplified in FIGS. 2 a and 2 b, wherein the guard 10 a is shown in FIG. 2 a that is a small size compared to the guard 10 b depicted in FIG. 2 b.

The guard 10 includes a main body 16 including opposed upper and lower surfaces 18, 20, and is of a generally U-shaped configuration, and thus, includes a pair of opposed arms 22, 24 positioned in spaced relation to each other and joined by a connecting segment 26. The arms 22, 24 and connecting segment 26 collectively define a main body opening 28 having a closed end portion at the connecting segment 26 and an open end portion opposite the connecting segment 26. The main body 16 further includes an inner periphery 30 and an outer periphery 32, wherein the inner periphery 30 defines the main body opening 28 and is sized and configured to conform to the anatomy of the fingernail 14 and extend at least partially around the fingernail 14. According to one embodiment, the inner periphery 30 is of a generally concave configuration to define the main body opening 28 adapted to be placed over the fingernail 14. The outer periphery 32 and inner periphery 30 may intersect to define a pair of terminal ends 34, 36. The outer periphery 32 may be configured to include a plurality of rounded segments or flower-petal like segments, to catch any excess nail polish which may fall of the brush or applicator.

The main body 16 further includes an adhesive surface adapted to be selectively adhered to the finger 12 during application of nail polish to the fingernail 14. In particular, the lower surface 20 may include an adhesive coating or layer applied thereto for adhering the guard 10 to the user's finger 12. The adhesive may be a medical-grade adhesive or other adhesives known in the art for adhering to skin. It is contemplated that a preferred embodiment of the guard 10 is specifically intended for a single-use, and thus, the adhesive may be intended to secure the guard 10 to the user's finger 12 for a short period of time, such as less than an hour, or in some cases, less than twenty minutes. However, in other embodiments, the guard 10 may be adapted for multiple, repeated uses, and thus, the adhesive may be stronger to sustain repeated application and removal during the lifespan of the guard 10.

The guard 10 may be formed of a single sheet of flexible material to allow the main body 16 to be at least partially wrapped around the finger 12. According to one particular implementation, the main body 16 may be formed of polyethylene, although other materials known by those skilled in the art may also be used.

The main body 16 may include perforations 38 formed therein to segregate the main body 16 into at least two regions separable from each other. The perforations 38 may extend from the inner periphery 30 toward an outer periphery 32, or generally parallel to the inner periphery 30. The perforations 38 extending between the inner and outer peripheries 30, 32 allow for selective adjustment in the length of the arms 22, 24, particularly, that by tearing off a distal end portion of the arms 22, 24, a user may decrease the overall length of the arms 22, 24. The perforations 38 extending parallel to the inner periphery 30 allow for selective adjustment of the size of the main body opening 28. In particular, a user may increase the size of the main body opening 28 by tearing away the inner-most portion of the main body 16, i.e., that portion which defines the inner periphery 30. Thus, a new inner periphery 30 is formed which defines a larger main body opening 28.

Although the foregoing describes a generally U-shaped guard 10 having a closed end portion and an open end portion, it is also contemplated that other embodiments of the guard 10 may define a completely enclosed area. In such an embodiment, the guard 10 may completely circumnavigate the user's fingernail 14 when the guard is applied to the finger 12.

The guard 10 may further comprise a template 40 adapted to extend over the main body opening 28. The template 40 may be used to impart a design or other indicia onto the fingernail 14, typically over a base coat of nail polish. The design may include a shape, letter, number, word, symbol, logo, or other indicia known in the art. In this respect, there is no limit as to the shape or configuration of the template design. In the embodiment depicted in FIGS. 4-5, the template 40 includes a palm tree design, while the template 40 depicted in FIG. 6 shows a diamond-shaped design.

According to one embodiment, the template 40 includes a first surface, an opposing second surface, and a template opening 42 extending through the template 40 between the first and second surfaces. The template opening 42 corresponds to the shape of the template design. The template 40 may be coupled to the main body 16 and transitional relative thereto between a covered configuration, wherein the template 40 extends over the main body opening 28, and an uncovered configuration, wherein the main body opening 28 is uncovered by the template 40. The template 40 may include an adhesive to allow the template 40 to be adhered to either the main body 40 or the user's finger 12 when the template 40 is in the uncovered configuration. FIGS. 4-5 depict an overlay-style template 40 a, which is separate from the main body 16 and is adapted to cover the main body opening 28 during use of the template 40 a. FIG. 6 depicts a flap-style template 40 b, which is coupled to the main body 16 and may be folded relative thereto between the covered and uncovered configurations, as will be described below.

Although the exemplary embodiments of the template 40 include an opening 42 corresponding to the shape of the desired design or indicia, it is contemplated that in other embodiments, the template 40 may include a surface corresponding to the shape of the desired design or indicia, with that surface being surrounded by an opening. In this regard, the template may allow a user to apply nail polish in the “negative space” surrounding the design or indicia. In this respect, the term “template” may broadly refer to anything useable in concert with the main body 16 for assisting in creating a desired look on the fingernail 14.

According to one embodiment, the guard 10 may be adapted to provide benefits to the skin and/or cuticle when applied thereto. For instance, the guard 10 may include a cosmetic or medicinal moisturizing layer integrated into the adhesive, template 40, or other layer. It is also understood that in connection with use of the guard 10, a moisturizing cream, gel, or the like may be applied before and/or after use of the guard 10.

With the basic structure of the guard 10 described above, the following discussion will focus on an exemplary use of the guard 10. The method of using the guard 10 may begin by removing the guard 10 from a sheet or liner so as to expose an adhesive layer. If the guard 10 includes perforations 38 for size adjustment, the guard 10 may be specifically sized to fit around a specific one of the user's fingernails 14 by tearing the guard 10 along the perforations 38. The guard 10 may be sized to increase the size of the main body opening 28, or to adjust the size of one or both of the main body arms 22, 24.

The guard 10 is placed on the user's finger 12, with the main body opening 28 extending over the fingernail 14, and the main body 16 of the guard 10 covering the skin adjacent the fingernail 14. In this regard, the inner periphery 30 of the main body 16 defines an outer boundary for the area upon which the nail polish may be applied. The guard 10 may be positioned on the finger 12 with the closed end portion of the guard 10 extending around the bottom of the fingernail 14 and the open end portion of the guard 10 positioned adjacent the tip of the fingernail 14, as shown in FIG. 1. Alternatively, the guard 10 may be positioned as shown in FIG. 2, with the open end portion of the guard 10 positioned adjacent the bottom of the fingernail 14, and the closed end portion of the guard 10 being adjacent the tip of the fingernail 14. In some instances, it may be desirable to completely circumscribe the fingernail 14 with guard material, and thus, two guards 10 may be used, wherein one guard 10 extends around the bottom of the fingernail 14, while another guard 10 extends around the top of the fingernail 14.

With the guard 10 placed in the desirable position on the user's finger 12, the guard 10 is pressed against the finger 12 to adhere the guard 10 to the finger 12. The arms 22, 24 may extend in a circumferential direction along the finger (e.g., the arms 22, 24 may wrap around the finger 12), and in some instance, the arms 22, 24 may overlap with each other.

It is understood that a user will likely apply nail polish to every fingernail 14 on a given hand. Thus, the user may repeat the above-described process for each fingernail 14 before applying nail polish to the fingernail(s) 14. However, there is no requirement that nail polish is applied only after guards 10 have been applied to all fingernails 14. Along these lines, the user may adhere a guard 10 to a single fingernail 14, and apply nail polish to that fingernail 14 before applying guards 10 to the other fingernails 14.

When the guard 10 has been adhered to the finger 12, the nail polish may be applied to the fingernail 14 using application methods known in the art, such as using a brush or similar applicator. The guard 10 preferably remains on the finger 12 until the nail polish is dried or at least partially dried. When the user desires to remove the guard 10, the user peals the guard 10 off the finger 12. The guard 10 may be disposed of after a single use, or stored for subsequent use.

In some instances, the guard 10 may include a template 40 for applying a design or other indicia to the user's fingernail 14. In particular, the template 40 may be used to create the design using a nail polish color that contrasts with an underlying base coat color. The template 40 may be an overlay-type template 40 a which fits over the main body opening 28 (see FIGS. 4 and 5) or a flap-like body 40 b which is foldable relative to the main body 16 (see FIG. 6).

In the case of an overlay-type template 40 a, the overlay 40 a is removed from the main body 16 when applying the base coat. Once the base coat has dried, the overlay 40 a is placed over the main body opening 28 to assume a covered configuration. The overlay 40 a may include an adhesive area for temporarily securing the adhesive to the finger 12 during use. Along these lines, the template 40 a may be adhered to the fingernail 14, guard 10, or finger 12. Once the template 40 a is secured, the user may apply the nail polish over the template 40 a to apply the design to the fingernail 14. The nail polish flows through the opening 42 formed in the template 40 a and dries on the fingernail 14 in the shape of the opening 42. The template 40 a is preferably maintained in the covered position while the nail polish is applied to the fingernail 14, as well as during drying of the nail polish. Subsequently, the template 40 a may be removed, either separate from the main body 16 or concurrently with removal of the main body 16.

In the case of a flap-type template 40 b, the flap 40 b may be selectively transitioned between covered and uncovered configurations. Since the flap 40 b may remain coupled to the main body 16 throughout use of the guard 10, the flap 40 b may be transitioned to the uncovered configuration during application of the underlying base coat nail polish. The flap 40 b may include an adhesive area to allow the flap 40 b to be secured to the main body 16 or finger 12 for maintaining the flap 40 b in the uncovered configuration. Alternatively, the flap 40 b may be folded from the covered position toward the uncovered position for maintaining the flap 40 b in the uncovered configuration. Once the base coat has dried, the flap 40 b may be transitioned from the uncovered configuration to the covered configuration to cover the main body opening 28. When in the covered configuration, the nail polish for the template design may be applied over the template to create the template design over the base coat. The template 40 b preferably remains in the covered configuration during application of the nail polish as well as drying of the nail polish. Afterwards, the guard 10 may be removed from the finger 12.

The guard 10 may simplify the application of nail polish on the fingernail 14, as the user may not be required to exhibit as much precision and control over application of the nail polish to the surface of the fingernail 14 because the guard 10 may prevent nail polish from being inadvertently applied to the skin surrounding the fingernail 14. Thus, the guard 10 may allow the user to more quickly apply nail polish to the fingernail 14. Use of the guard 10 may also result in a more professional overall appearance, since the nail polish will define clean, crisp boundaries.

The particulars shown herein are by way of example only for purposes of illustrative discussion, and are not presented in the cause of providing what is believed to be most useful and readily understood description of the principles and conceptual aspects of the various embodiments of the present disclosure. In this regard, no attempt is made to show any more detail than is necessary for a fundamental understanding of the different features of the various embodiments, the description taken with the drawings making apparent to those skilled in the art how these may be implemented in practice. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A guard for use with a finger of a user while painting a fingernail, the guard comprising: a main body formed of a flexible material to allow the main body to be at least partially wrapped around the finger, the main body having: a first surface having an adhesive for adhering the main body to the finger; an opposing second surface; and an inner periphery sized and configured to conform to the anatomy of the fingernail and extend at least partially around the fingernail, the inner periphery being of a generally concave configuration to define a main body opening adapted to be placed over the fingernail.
 2. The guard recited in claim 1, wherein the main body further includes an outer periphery spaced from inner periphery along at least a portion of the main body.
 3. The guard recited in claim 2, wherein the outer periphery and inner periphery intersect to define a pair of terminal ends.
 4. The guard recited in claim 2, wherein the outer periphery defines a plurality of rounded segments.
 5. The guard recited in claim 1, wherein the main body includes perforations formed therein to segregate the main body into at least two regions separable from each other.
 6. The guard recited in claim 5, wherein the perforations extend from the inner periphery toward an outer periphery.
 7. The guard recited in claim 5, wherein the perforations extend generally parallel to the inner periphery.
 8. The guard recited in claim 1, further comprising a template adapted to extend over the opening, the template having first surface, an opposing second surface, and an opening extending through the template between the first and second surfaces.
 9. The guard recited in claim 8, wherein the template is coupled to the main body and is transitional relative thereto between a covered configuration, wherein the template extends over the main body opening, and an uncovered configuration, wherein the main body opening is uncovered by the template.
 10. The guard recited in claim 9, wherein the template includes an adhesive to allow the template to be adhered to one of the main body and the finger when the template is in the uncovered configuration.
 11. The guard recited in claim 1, wherein the main body is formed of a single piece of material.
 12. The guard recited in claim 1, wherein the main body is formed of polyethylene.
 13. A single-use guard capable of being applied to a finger around a fingernail to protect skin around the fingernail from nail polish, the guard comprising: a body having: a pair of opposed arms positioned in spaced relation to each other and joined by a connecting segment, the arms and connecting segment collectively defining a body opening having a closed end portion at the connecting segment and an open end portion opposite the connecting segment, the body opening being sized and configured to conform to the fingernail of the user; and an adhesive surface adapted to be selectively adhered to the finger during application of nail polish to the fingernail.
 14. The guard recited in claim 13, wherein the body includes perforations formed therein to segregate the body into at least two regions separable from each other.
 15. The guard recited in claim 14, wherein the perforations are formed in at least one of the arms.
 16. The guard recited in claim 14, wherein the perforations are formed in the connecting segment.
 17. The guard recited in claim 13, further comprising a template adapted to extend over the body opening, the template having first surface, an opposing second surface, and a template opening extending through the template between the first and second surfaces.
 18. The guard recited in claim 13, wherein the template is coupled to the body and is transitional relative thereto between a covered configuration, wherein the template extends over the body opening, and an uncovered configuration, wherein the body opening is uncovered by the template.
 19. The guard recited in claim 18, wherein the template includes an adhesive to allow the template to be adhered to one of the body and the finger when the template is in the uncovered configuration.
 20. The guard recited in claim 1, wherein the body is formed of a single piece of material. 